So you are sitting there in front of the computer with your editing software of choice open (let’s say Final Cut Pro for this example), and you’ve just finished your short or feature. It’s exactly the way you want it, but it’s missing something: a title. So you fire up the title editor in Final Cut, type in your title, and put it at the beginning of the film. Easy, right?

Here’s the problem: this may be able to fool your mom, but every trained eye that views your movie is going to think one thing before the opening frame, which is “uh oh, the default title type. This is going to suck.”

So after making every effort to make your film look like a high-budget production, you blow it all on Lucida Grande. Even casual viewers have seen this type of title so many times they sort of know what it is, and even if they don’t, they aren’t being wowed by it.

What to do? All you need is a little boost from the world of typography, and in this article I’ll be talking about some tips specifically for filmmakers about dealing with typography and fonts.

What is Typography?

Typography is the methods and techniques of arranging and choosing fonts (typefaces).

It’s is one of those things you never really think is a big deal until you look closer. If you’ve ever worked in or with the world of graphic design you know that there are large groups of people who are very interested and obsessive about typography, and recently typography has been brought into more mainstream consciousness thanks to documentaries like Helvetica.

But while there are designers who basically work exclusively with typefaces, you don’t need to know it all, you just need to choose something for your film.

The Basics

There are two terms you’ll hear a lot with typography: serif and sans-serif. Serifs are the little things on the edges of the letters. Here they are highlighted in red:

You might think that serif fonts are the older style, which is correct technically, but serifs can be designed in many ways, and some of the newer styles – like the slab serifs – look very modern.

As you might have guessed, the other kind of font, sans-serif, doesn’t have serifs. These are your Helveticas, Verdanas, etc. There generally have a more modern feel.

Besides these two main types, there are a lot of other ones that you’ll come across. These include novelty typefaces, script typefaces, and even hand drawn ones (like the font used in the DiY Filmmaking header above this article). The possibilities are really limitless.

Choosing the Right Font

Image Credit

Just remember one thing: fonts have personalities. Well, so does your film, and the goal is to match the personality of your film with the font. Sounds, easy, but it can be a long search for the right fit.

A lot of the methods are no brainers. Horror movie? Try out a scary looking font. English period film? Why not a script font. Folksy type film? Maybe a handwritten font is for you. For every type of film genre, there is a font to go along with it.

But why not mix it up a little bit? Try visualizing some fonts that you may not think fit, and you never know, it might turn out to be perfect. Remember, the idea is to match the personality of your film – not necessarily the genre. So maybe your horror film is a little postmodern – you might want to go with a cool horror font, but maybe it has a modern edge to it – maybe a nice, round sans-serif font would embody the dichotomy you are presenting with your film.

The bottom line is search and then search some more – the right font is out there, you just have to find it.

On Black or on Image?

A big decision in the beginning of any film is where the title card goes. Some movies do it straight on black, and some do it over some footage. Some with deeper pockets, as the good people at the superb blog The Art of the Title Sequence demonstrate, create high-concept intro titles that are pieces of art in their own rights.

The choice ultimately goes back to the personality of your film, but should you choose to do it over footage, there are a few things to consider:

First off – are people going to be able to see the title on the footage that you choose (if you go that route)? Shots with uneven spaces of light and dark are very difficult to put a title over that is readable. Just make sure that you make your impact with your title, and that even if it isn’t made to fill the whole screen, that those who want to notice it, do.

The other is to remember that when you put a title into a shot, you are turning it into something graphic and designed. Make sure the frame is memorable, well shot, and can handle the font and title you are bestowing on it. If it’s over some location b-roll, pick something that really stands out and works well with the title.

Where To Find Fonts

When you buy a computer, you have some pre-installed fonts on your machine. That’s great, but there are tons of fonts out there, and they all have different characteristics. It may seem daunting, but here are some resources to get your started.

Before we continue, it’s important to note that fonts have licenses attached to them – even the free ones. Some fonts are free for use, but the majority need to be purchased. The cost is usually comparatively low – $25-$30 for single font – so it won’t break your production budget. I recommend treating fonts like you treat songs in your productions – get the rights and feel safe knowing that in the unlikely event the font designer comes calling, you’ve got the license handy.

One of my favorite places to get fonts is Font Squirrel, which states that their fonts are 100% free for commerical use. They link to other font sites and the sites of the font makers themselves, to make sure to check the font license to make sure, since terms can change since they added it to their database.

Their collection is really top-notch, and hand-picked. This is often the place I start when looking for new and cool fonts.

Smashing Magazine is a valuable online resource for designers, and they periodically write roundups of great free fonts. Just be careful that the font is still free by reading the licenses.

The grandaddy of typeface websites, LinoType is the best place to buy fonts on the web, in my opinion. Check out their gigantic collection, and when you need to buy a font, do it here.

Fontspring is also a great resource for finding fonts, and I really like their interface for navigating them. They also are great for getting web fonts, but that is for another article.

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There is a lot more to say about this topic, but that’s all for the basic typography. Remember: titles are details, but they are details that get some majorly important screen time, so make sure to put some effort into them, and you’ll be rewarded with a film that has a polished feel to it.